Core Components

Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence (SFA) is a universally delivered skills training programme for students in secondary school years 1-3 (11-14 years). The programme is designed to help students, parents and teachers manage physical, emotional and social challenges in early adolescence. It combines social and emotional learning, character development, anti-drug & anti-bullying practices for positive youth development. Hence it aims to strengthen social and emotional learning (SEL) competences in students, reduce negative behaviours, increase positive behaviours, and promote academic success. To achieve these outcomes, the programme curriculum teaches six developmentally appropriate core thematic units (i.e. positive learning community, personal development, social development, health and prevention, leadership and service, and reflection and closure). These units are designed to support five SEL core competences; self-management, self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision making.

Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence (SFA) curriculum is typically delivered in classrooms, with separate curriculums delivered to each year group. The programme curriculum is integrated into the classroom curriculum and delivered once or twice weekly; delivered during an advisory period, between one to five times weekly; offered as part of a one semester or one quarter stand-alone class; or integrated in the health or prevention curriculum. Each Lions Quest (SFA) curriculum contains 36 scripted lessons that are taught in order, in 45 minutes sessions. Each lesson is taught in four learning phases that include; a) discovering (instructions that define the concepts addressed in the lesson); b) connecting (work that apply the lesson concepts): c) practicing (role play using the learned skills); and d) applying (application of skills to a new situation). Students are provided with student journals to reflect on what has been learned, as well as to practice and apply their new skills. Activities conducted during the lessons include group discussions, group work, modelling and role plays. Classroom configuration for programme delivery (i.e. whole classroom, small groups, classroom pairs, or individual) is dependent on the activity to be conducted.

To promote programme success, Lions Quest SFA recommends the following:

• Service-learning approach which gives students the opportunity to practice and apply their learned skills in real-life situations
• Positive school climate by establishing a ten-member school climate team to work together towards creating a safe, healthy, and caring schoolwide environment. School climate team members can include parents, practitioners, support staff, students, and community representatives
• Community involvement from local network of programme practitioners to support programme workshops, student materials, service-learning projects or schoolwide events

Family involvement is also vital for overall programme success. The programme therefore encourages the completion of home activities using the family connection take-home worksheets, and parents’ attendance of parent meetings.

Fidelity

Fidelity is ensured using the following measures:

1. Practitioner training prior to programme delivery
2. Use of programme implementation checklist
3. Use of pre-post test measures to assess relevant outcomes

Modifiable Components

Lions Quest programmes have been delivered in 109 countries, and its programme materials have been adapted and translated into more than 45 languages. Lions Quest is most commonly delivered in schools, during the school day, using one of several implementation models. These include integrating the programme in the classroom curriculum, delivering during an advisory period, offering as part of a one semester or one quarter stand-alone class; or integrating in the health or prevention curriculum. In schools, Lions Quest SFA is delivered in both mainstream and special education classes. However in special education classes, the exercises are modified to suit the needs of the students, while keeping the structure and the lesson objectives the same. Outside of the school, Lions Quest SFA can be delivered in after-school settings, recreational settings, and other community based settings.

Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence (SFA) is owned by the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), and is one of a suite of Lions Quest programmes. Skills for Growing and Skills for Action are the other two Lions Quest programmes delivered to children and young persons aged 5-10 years and 15-19 years respectively. In Scotland, training and implementation support for the suite of Lions Quest programmes will be provided by Lions MD105 Lifeskills Ltd, Birmingham, UK, and Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), USA.  

Support for Organisation / Practice

Implementation Support

Lions MD105 Lifeskills Ltd and LCIF provide support for programme delivery in different settings (schools, after school, and community settings). Within schools, they support programme delivery in a few classes, and also support schools adopting a whole school approach to delivery. As part of the whole school approach, they support delivery of programme curriculum; and support schools to adopt culture, policies, procedures that create a school climate designed to facilitate students’ social and emotional growth.

To ensure quality programme implementation, they deliver practitioner trainings at implementing sites and provide a step-by-step plan for effective schoolwide implementation. To support programme delivery, practitioners receive teacher’s curriculum kit. The kit contains

• Facilitator’s resource guide (including lesson plans, assessment and enrichment, family and community connection activities)
• Universal programme guide (which includes programme rationale, programme overview, classroom implementation guide and models, schoolwide implementation guide)
• Digital resources for additional support (including families as partners guide, family connection take-home worksheet)

The Lions Quest website gives access to the pre-post student survey that can be used by schools to assess programme effectiveness on relevant outcomes. If requested, staff within Lions Quest can provide technical assistance with the pre-post evaluation.

Licence Requirements

There are no licence requirements for programme delivery.

Start-up Costs

Lions Quest SFA implementation costs include practitioner training cost of £2000 +VAT (not inclusive of travel or accommodation). This covers training at implementing site for no more than 32 practitioners. Other costs include teacher curriculum kit and student journal. These should be purchased for individual use. Booster training sessions are an additional cost that is dependent on the number of teachers attending the sessions. Costs for booster training, teacher curriculum kit and student journal can be obtained from the programme contact at Lions Lifeskills Ltd. UK.

Building Staff Competency

Qualifications Required

Lions Quest is delivered by practitioners with a background in education. Practitioners are usually teachers, but Lions Quest can also be delivered by school counsellors. One practitioner typically delivers the programme to the classroom of students. One practitioner can also use grade appropriate curriculum kits to deliver any of the three Lions Quest programmes to different grades within a school.

Training Requirements

Practitioner training prior to programme delivery is strongly recommended, especially when a whole school approach to programme delivery is to be adopted. Training is provided to practitioners delivering the programme, and to other practitioners who will support programme delivery (e.g. leadership team, teaching assistants, subject teachers, support staff, and administrators). Practitioners attend a two-day Lions Quest professional development workshop.

Training covers theory and practice of the SEL concept, service-learning, drug and alcohol prevention, mindfulness, anti-bullying practices, programme components, and skills practice. A two-day booster training session is encouraged for practitioners delivering the programme and for staff providing programme support. These booster sessions give practitioners a chance to refresh their skills, learn from their peers and troubleshoot challenges. These sessions are made available on request. A train-the-trainer model is available to promote programme sustainability. The train-the-trainer model can vary according to region/ location of implementing organisation, therefore organisations that require specific information on the trainer training model should contact Lions MD105 Lifeskills Ltd. UK. Practitioners trained in the Lions Quest SFA programme can also deliver the Skills for Growing and Skills for Action programmes.

The school climate team will include persons who have not been trained. Training for all school climate team is neither required nor recommended. 

Supervision Requirements

There are no supervision requirements during programme delivery.

Theory of Change

Lions Quest SFA applies social influence and social cognitive approaches to teach cognitive behavioural skills. This is for the purpose of enhancing SEL competences (self-management, self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision making), reducing negative behaviours (e.g. bullying, drug, alcohol, and tobacco use); increasing positive behaviours & attitudes (e.g. social competences, respect and responsibility, self-discipline); and academic success.

Values

Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence (SFA) is a universally delivered skills training programme for students in secondary school years 1-3 (11-14 years). The programme combines social and emotional learning (SEL), character development, anti-drug & anti-bullying practices for positive youth development. Lions Quest is most commonly delivered in schools, during the school day. Programme success is enhanced by promoting positive school environment, family involvement, and community involvement

• Does this approach align with the key values of your organisation?

Priorities

Lions Quest SFA aims to strengthen SEL competences, reduce negative behaviours, increase positive behaviours, and promote academic success. The programme can be delivered in main stream or special education schools (school-wide or in a few classes), in after-school settings, and in community settings. If implemented in schools, a whole school approach to delivery can be adopted.

• Is strengthening SEL competences and positive youth development a priority for your organisation?
• In what setting is your organisation looking to deliver this programme?
• If delivered in schools, in what education service (mainstream or special education) would your organisation deliver the programme?
• Is a whole school approach of programme delivery to be adopted?

Existing Initiatives

• Does your organisation have existing programmes that aim to enhance SEL competences and positive youth development in adolescents?
• Are there components addressed by Lions Quest SFA that are not met by existing programmes?
• Are the existing initiatives effective?
• Do existing initiatives fit your current and anticipated future requirements?
• Can existing initiatives be delivered to students in Secondary 1-3?

Workforce

Lions Quest SFA is typically delivered by classroom teachers. One practitioner can deliver the programme to a classroom of students. Practitioner training prior to programme delivery is recommended, especially when a whole school approach to programme delivery is to be adopted. A two-day Lions Quest professional development workshop is available to practitioners delivering the programme, and to other practitioners that will support programme delivery.

• Does your organisation have teachers and other school practitioners who are interested in learning and delivering this programme?
• Can your organisation support the time commitment required for practitioner training and delivery?
• Will a whole school approach to programme delivery be adopted? Do you have staffing capacity to support this?

Technology Support

Digital resources that provide added support for programme delivery are available on the Lions Quest website. In addition, the programme website gives access to the pre-post student surveys, used by schools to assess programme effectiveness.

• Will your practitioners have access to technology for online content (e.g. computer/ tablet, internet access)?

Administrative Support

Lions Quest is typically delivered in schools using one of several implementation models (e.g. integration into classroom curriculum; integrating in the health or prevention curriculum; delivered during an advisory period). It can also be delivered in after school settings or community settings.

• In what setting will the programme be delivered?
• Does your organisation have administrative capacity and systems for delivery in your chosen setting?
• Is there sufficient capacity to support the implementation model to be adopted?
• If delivered in schools, is there capacity to integrate this programme into the school curriculum?
• How will members of the school climate team be identified?

Financial Support

Lions Quest SFA implementation costs include practitioner training cost of £2000 +VAT (not inclusive of travel and accommodation). This cost covers training at implementing site for no more than 32 practitioners. Other costs include teacher curriculum kit, student journal and booster training sessions. 

• Is a whole school approach to programme delivery to be adopted, or is the programme to be delivered to specific year groups or classrooms?
• Can practitioner trainings and programme implementation resources be financially supported?

Comparable Population

Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence (SFA) is a universally delivered skills training programme for students in secondary school years 1-3 (11-14 years). Evidence of effectiveness comes from two studies. One study included students (aged 9-15 years) in grammar and middle schools in Austria, while the second study included ethnically diverse students (approximately aged 11 years) from schools in metropolitan and suburban areas in the USA.

• Is this comparable to the population your organisation would like to serve?

Desired Outcome

Lions Quest SFA aims to strengthen SEL competences, reduce negative behaviours, increase positive behaviours, and promote academic success. Programme delivery is associated with significantly reduced negative behaviours and substance use.

• Is delivering a programme designed to strengthen SEL competences and positive youth development a priority for your service?
• Does your organisation have other initiatives in place that effectively and efficiency address the above outcomes?